Many Aussies Regret Voting PM Tony Abbott into Office

Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott (L) at the New York Stock Exchange June 10, 2014. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid (UNITED STATES - Tags: BUSINESS POLITICS)

The results of surveys and opinion polls show the overwhelming disappointment of Australian voters in having placed in office Prime Minister Tony Abbott who had failed, in their eyes, to bring a clean and efficient transition of power from the previous Labor government.

News.com.au identifies several issues that immediately dogged the Abbott administration barely one year into power.

Leading the issues is the decision of Mr Abbott to bring back knighthood and damehood to Australian society by anointing Quentin Bryce as dame. The Web site noted that Mr Abbott "appeared more interested in creating a modern version of medieval British aristocracy than deal with current problems of ordinary families."

A major issue against Mr Abbott is the proposed budget that would result in higher cost for health care, travel and tertiary education as well as a longer wait for pension, all of which are contrary to his campaign promise to ease household expenses. There is the added issue of failure to consult premiers and industry group for these major changes.

By sticking to the paid parental leave policy, Mr Abbott was forced to bring down the income threshold to $100,000 from $150,000 in response to the big public clamour for the government to help shoulder the high cost of child care that prevents women from returning back to work during the kid's early years.

Other issues include failure to amend section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act and access of security agencies to Australians' digital messages.

The latest Newspoll survey results cited by The Australian said that the Coalition's primary vote has slightly recovered with a four-point increase to 40 per cent, but it is still 5.6 per cent lower than their pre-election support of 45.6 per cent.

The unpopularity of many Coalition policies did not necessarily favour Labor which got a 34 per cent voter support, almost equal to its pre-election level of 33.3 per cent.

It seems that the July missile hit on Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 had worked in Mr Abbott's favour due to Australian police's involvement in the recovery of bodies of the plane crash victims, resulting in a boost in his ranking as preferred PM, which dipped when he pushed for the unpopular budget.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten shares his thoughts about Mr Abbott in this video taken right after the repeal of the carbon tax, one of the PM's election promises that he was able to deliver.